Branch box connector



April 27, 1943. w. c. ANDERSON BRANCH BOX CONNECTOR Filed March 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 71/2. a INVENTOR April 27, 1943. w. c. ANDERSON BRANCH BOX CONNECTOR Filed March 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I VENTOR RNEY Patented Apr. 27, i943 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,317,710 7 BRANCH BOX CONNECTOR William C. Anderson, Bromley, Ky., assignor to The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Compantyi, lllainville, Ccnn., a corporation oi Connec cu Application March 21, 1942, Serial No. 435,615 'Claims. (01. 173-3341) My invention relates to what are sometimes called branch box connectors and particularly to the contact stabs or conductors and the method of mounting them.

The main object-is to provide a simple but eiiective construction which can be readily assembled.

Another object is to provide simple but positive means for insulating the conducting parts Each conductor-consists of two contact strips 35 secured to a cross piece 36. Each pair of strips has a pair of gripping jaws 31 for engaging a movable switch member I! within a passage 28 when the cover of the box is closed and a pair of jaws 38 for engaging a bus bar.

The cross bar 36 is loosely mounted in the hollow of the shield with its ends projecting loosely into grooves '39 in the shield. One edge from eachother and from the metal casing. rests on the insulating block 26 and movement Another object is to mount the conducting of the other edge is limited by shoulders 40 in parts floatingly for automatic self-alignment. the shield.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying When the block 26 is removed the conductors my invention showing in dotted lines bus bars may be readily removed and replaced. in place, parts being broken away. It will be noted that each conductor is loosely Fig. 2 is a side and longitudinal sectional view and floatingly mounted inside its shield thereof the same, i by permitting automatic self-alignment of the Fig. 3 is a plan view of the insulating shield conductor relative to its bus bar it] and relative support with one conductor in place. to its movable switch member I 1, respectively.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a shield; This novel mounting also permits the use of Fig. 5 is a part elevational and part sectional conductors having stabs at both ends. It will also view of the device of Fig. 3. be noticed that the conductors are entirely en- Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the con cased in insulating material and that all conductors, ducting parts are fully insulated from each other Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another form of and Irom'the metal box. conductor. In Fig. 7 is shown a cross piece 36 with a Fig. 8 is a perspective view of still another modified form of conductor member comprising form of conductor. a plate 4i with a bolt 42 and nut 43 forattach- The bus bars ID are usually mounted in a duct ment of conductor wires. II. The branch box I2 is mounted adjacent the "In Fig. 8 metal springs 44 are shown attached duct in any suitable manner and has suitable to the jaws 38 for reinforcement purposes. means such as knockouts ii for attaching branch It will be understood also that if desired the cables. The box contains suitable switching cross bars 36 may be provided with a plurality means i 4, a protective device l5 and terminals oi pairs of contact strips and jaws '38. I6 ior each bus bar connection. 35 I claim:

In the form shown, the movable switch mem- 1. In a bus bar connector plug-in having a box hers I! are carried by an insulating block ill with a slotted insulating shield projecting theremounted on the inside of the cover I! which is from for embracing a bus bar, a contact member hinged to the box at 26. A handle 2i has side detachably mounted in said shield and comprisbars 22, each of which is hinged at 23 to the box ing a cross bar positioned in grooves in the shield and has a slot in which a stud 25 carried by the and contact strips secured to the opposite sides cover slides when the handle is pulled down. of said cross bar, one end of each strip projecting An insulating block 26 is detachably mounted into said shield to engage a bus bar and the other in the box and supports a number of stationary end projecting from the shield to engage a concontacts 21 one for each switch member. This 45 tact in the box. block hasa passage for each conductor 29. 2. Inc. bus bar connector plug-in having a box Each conductor has an individual shield 30 with a slotted insulating shield projecting there and all the shields may be molded into a single from for embracing a bus bar and with grooves piece as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, with a base 3i formed therein, a contact member'detachabiy which fits against a shoulder 32 of the block 26. and floatingly mounted in said shield and com- The shield member and insulating block may prising a cross bar positioned in said grooves and be secured in the box by screws l2 passing oppositely disposed contact strips secured to said through said members and through lugs such as cross bar and projectingbeyond the top and bot- Each shield is hollow and has a slot 64 to tom edges 01 said bar.

accommodate a bus bar i6.

a. a bus bar connector plug-in device including V a box having spaced openings in its wall, an ina box having spaced openings in its wall, an insulating plate secured to the inside of said wall and having hollow shield members projecting through said openings and being provided with slots, an insulating block mounted adjacent said plate and having openings in alignmet with said shield members. detachable and fioatable contact members projecting into said shields for engaging bus bars and projecting into the-openings in said block for engaging contact members in the box and means for limiting the floating movement of said contact members including shoulders on said shield members.

5. A bus bar connector plug-in device including a box having spaced openings in its wall, an insulating plate secured to the inside of said wall and. having hollow shield members projecting through said openings and being provided with slots, an insulating block mounted adjacent said plate and having openings in alignment with said shield members, and detachable and floatable contact members, said contact members having conductor embraceable jaws at both ends; the jaws at one of their ends projecting into said shields for embracing bus bars and the jaws at the other ends projecting into the openings in said block for embracing contact members in the box.

' WILLIAM C. ANDERSON. 

